Saturday:10^th Week of the year – A

I Reading: 2Corinthians 5:14-21: For our sake God made the sinless one into sin.

Gospel: Mathew 5:33-37: I say to you do not swear at all.

The Real Meaning of Oaths and Swearing, Mt 5:33-37

Jesus said, “Do not swear at all” (v.34). He was enlarging the law governing oaths to include all swearing and profanity (Mt 5:17f; James 5:12). All conversation should be straight to the point and factual, not injected with oaths or profanity (Mt 5:34, 37). A person is to be righteous. His/her word and character are to be his/her guarantee, the only oath he/she needs.

1. The law (v.33)

a. Do not swear falsely and deceivingly: committing perjury

b. keep all oaths

2. The real meaning: do not swear (v.34-36)

a. Because all things are sacred

b. Because all power belongs to God

3. The Ideal oath or guarantee (v.37)

a. One’s word-character

b. The reason: swearing has its source in evil

Thought: Oaths would not be necessary in a perfect world.

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